A bit slow to get going, then it moves at a nice clip until the last scene when the denouement seems to take forever. But it’s sort of muddled at the end in the effort to delay naming the murderer as long as possible. I also did not care for the rather traditional romantic roles assigned to the lead characters. ( )

Although this isn’t a first in series, it was my introduction to this vintage-era author, an American contemporary of Christie, Marsh and Ellery Queen.

This story is set in Chicago high-society in the 1930s and is a very matter-of-fact glimpse into that lifestyle, similar to early EQ novels. The puzzle itself is pretty standard, but entertaining. And the reader is thrown off to a slight degree because Eberhart wrote mainly stand-alone novels, so there was no knowing “good guys” from “bad guys” because of continuing characters.

The past progressive verb tense (was taking, were talking) put me in mind of Christie’s Sad Cypress and was slightly irritating. Christie didn’t regularly use that, and perhaps Eberhart didn’t either.

I have a few more Eberhart titles on my shelves so I’ll be reading at least those – and who knows where it will go from there?

Read this if: you’re a fan of the society settings of early Ellery Queen novels; or you’re a Chicago fan and would enjoy a glimpse into the city in 1930s. 4 stars ( )